Charles heyman



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. HEYMAN. STOP 000K LOOK Patented July 16, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. ,G. HEYMAN. STOP COCK LOCK No. 542,643.Patented Jul 16, 1895,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HEYMAN, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

STOP-COCK LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,643, dated July16,1895.

Application filed April 23, 1895. Serial No. 546,929. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES HEYMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Stop-Cock Locks; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of myinvention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improvement in stopcock locks and electricalappliances used in connection therewith,and is especially an improvementon and an addition to the device shown in an application filed by meMarch 20, 1895, Serial No. 542,736. In the said application I have shownand described a stopcock lock adapted to secure the handle of astop-cock in the proper position, and to prevent it from accidentalturning, or from being turned too far. The said application shows inconnection with the said lock an arrangement of electrical deviceswhereby a person at a distance from the lock itself may ascertainwhether the lock is in position and holding the handle of the stop-cockor not.

My present invention has for its objects, in addition to those set forthin the aforesaid application, to guard against oversight, which mightoccur it' the means provided in the aforesaid application for learningthe position of the lock were not used, and for this purpose to providean automatic electrical device which will give notification of the factsthat the lock is not in position, or being in position that the hand ofthe stop-clock has not been turned, and therefore the water is not oif.

lVith these objects in view the invention consists in the various noveldetails of construction and the combination of the parts, and in thedevice as a whole.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, to whichreference is hereby made and which form part of this specification. Inthese drawings, throughout which like letters and figures ofreferenceindicate corresponding parts- Figure 1 is a diagram showing theapplication of my device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stop-cocklock provided with my improvements. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionalview of the stop-cock lock, taken on a plane passing through theelectric pins or contact-points (1 Fig. 4. is likewise a horizontalsectional view of the stopcock look, but is taken on a plane passingthrough the electric pins or contact-points H, and showing-the stop-cockhandle in position. This figure is diagrammatic also in part, and showsto the right a section of the contact device K with its electricalconnection with the other portions shown in the figure, and also withthe bell. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing in detail a portion of mydevice which is marked K.

In the drawings, the letter A indicates the ordinary service-pipesupplying water to a building.

The letter 0 indicates the stop-cock which controls the flow of waterthrough the service-pipe into the building, and has the handle a, whichis provided in a suitable place with the insulating-annulus c. As shownin the drawings, this annulus 0' projects beyond the surface of thehandle; but it may be sunk upon the handle to conform with the contourthereof.

By the letter D is designated my stop-cock look as an entirety, suitablyplaced with reference to the stop-cock itself.

At E is indicated an electric battery, connected through the alarm orbell-ringing device F with the stop-cock lock D, in the mannerhereinafter described. The electric wires connecting the battery, thestop-cock lock, and the bell F are indicated by e.

P indicates a door, and R indicates the jarnb of the door next to thelock, which is indicated by the letter S and is of any desired or usualconstruction.

0 designates an electric key mounted in the door-jamb opposite the boltof the lock S in such a manner as to close a circuit or make electricalcontact when the bolt is thrust forward. This electric key 0 isconnected through the Wires M with the electric bell N and with thestop-cock lock D in the manner hereinafter described.

The stop-cock lock D consists of a bed portion or base D and thelock-casings D D hinged thereto so as to oppose each other and to meetand form a hollow tube when thrown at right angles to the base D. It isto be noted that the lock-casings D D have their inner ends squared, andconsequently cannot be moved toward each other more than ninety degrees.'In other words, wheuthese sections of the lock or lock-casings are atright anglesto the base to which they are hinged, their inner ends areflush with and rest upon the same and further movement isimpossible. Thebase D is usually made of wood or other non-conducting material, but itsuitable precautions for the insulation of the parts hereinaftermentioned are taken this base may be made of metal or other material.Its shape is not essential. The sections or lock-casings D D are usuallymade of metal-such as brass and the likeand are provided at any properpoint with a lock or catch device, indicated by D in Fig. 2. This lock Dholds the sections D D together, prevents their accidental displacement,and insures the proper adjustment of the parts. The base D has mountedin it between the sections 1) D 'the electric contact devices, metalbuttons, or spring-pressed pins d which are suitably connected by meansof the wires c with the battery E and with the bell-ringing device F.Within the sections or casings D D and near their inner squared ends Isecure in any suitable manner blocks of insulating materialsuch as wood,hard rubber, or the liked, to which are fastened the L-shaped metalspring tongues d, which extend forward obliquely within the casings farenough to embrace the stop-cock handle 0 when the same is in position.-.These'spring-tongues d. by means of their bent-up portions are adaptedto impinge upon and to be in electrical contact with the electriccontact devices, metal buttons, or springpressed pins d whenever thecasi'ng-se'ctions"D D are brought together and the lock D is fastened,but they are insulated from the casing-sections and from each other, andso no current can pass unless at such time the stop-cock handle 0 is incontact with them, as before described.

The bell-ringing mechanism F is of any ordinary or approved constructionand is provided with a switchf.

As described up to this point the device is the same as that set forthin my former application, Serial No. 542,736, and its operation thus faris briefly as follows: Whenever the stop-cock has been turned to shutoff the water, and the locking device D has been closed thereon, ascontemplated and shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a person at the switchf will beapprised of the fact by the ringing of the bell F whenever the circuitis completed; and by using the same switch one may know that thestop-cock lock is not in position and does not embrace the stopcockhandle bythe fact that the bell F will not'ring when the circuit issupposed to be completed by the turning of the said switch; but theobject of the invention up to this point is not only to lock securelythe stop-cock and to secure the same against accidental turning, but isto guard an ordinary door, such as the street-door of a warehouse orother building; but of course the closing of a window, the walking upona mat, or any other necessary operation prior to leaving the building,could be used to close the circuit through theelectric key 0, instead ofthe lock-bolt herein described.

While the bell F is arranged to ring when desired if the stop-cock hasbeen properly turned and locked, the bell N is arranged to ring if thestop-cock has not been turned, or if having been turned the lock is notin position. By means of the key 0 and the switch f the exact positionof the stop-cock and of the lock can be ascertained at any time.

The letters G indicate tubes secured on the outer opposite sides of thecasings D D and have mounted within them the spring-pressed pins g g,which are adapted to pass through the said casings, and to touch eachother when the stop-cock handle 0 is not in position. Thesespring-pressed pins g g are'of metal or other conducting substance, andare connected electrically by means of insulated wires 71, with thecontact points or plates 72. on the inner faces ofthe'in'sulating-blocks d. These contact plates or points h are adaptedto impinge upon and to be in electric contact with the electric contactdevices, metal buttons, or spring-pressed pins H, which are notessentially different from the devices 01 The spring-pressed pins H areconnected by means of wires 1' with the wires M. The annulus c is, asbefore stated, of insulated material, and is placed upon the handle 0 ofthe stop-cock in such a position that when the said handle is within thestop-cock lock the spring-pressed pins'g g" will rest thereon and thusbe insulated from each other. It now we suppose that the stop-cock lockhas been closed without turning the stop-cock so that its handle isincluded by the casings D D the springpressed pin-s g will be incontact, and if at this time the door P be closed and the bolt of thelock S be turned and thrust forward the electric key 0 will close thecircuit and the bell N by its ringing will give notice of the fact. Ifin-this case the switchfbe turned the bell F will not ring because thereis no electrical connection between the'metal springtongues d.

The letter K indicates a circuit-closer which will give an alarm throughthe bell N whenever the key 0 is closed and the stop-cock lock D isopen. This circuit-closer consists of a IIO metal tube K, provided witha flange for at- 7t projects beyond the tube 70, as shown in thedra\vings,the rod 75 has its outer end split and flared to either side,but a metal button, a tap, or the like would answer the same purpose.The casings D D may be provided with offsets to bear upon thespring-pressed button it when they are closed,but the spring is ofsufiicient Strength to push them apart unless locked by the catch D. Asshown in Fig. 5, and also in Fig. 2, the circuit-closer K is in itsnormal position when the lockingcasings D D are open, and as shown inFig. i the circuit-closer K is in its proper position when the saidlocking'casings are closed. It will be seen that as shown in Fig. 4 nocurrent can pass through the said circuit-closer K, because the tube Kand the nut or cap k are insulated from each other, and the rod does nottouch the nutor cap k although it passes through an opening therein. Asshown in Fig. 5, however, the flaring ends of the rod L1 touch upon andare in electric contact with the cap or nut k and hence at such a time acurrent of electricity may be passed through the said circuit-closer. Ifnow we suppose that the electric key 0 is closed while the parts are inthe position shown in Fig. 2, the bell N will ring, thereby indicatingthat something is wrong, whereas, if the said key is closed, while theparts are in the position shown in Fig. at the bell N will not ring.

To resume: As shown in Fig. 1 the bell F will ring when the switch f isturned, but there will be no ringing of the bell N upon making contactthrough the key 0. This condition of affairs will be conclusive proofthat the stop-cock is locked and all the parts in their proper position.As shown in Fig. 2 the bell F cannot be rung, while the bell N will ringimmediately the key is closed, thus indicating that the stop-cock lockhas not been closed atall, or, that it closed, the stopcock handle hasnot been turned, and therefore the water has not been cut otf. Suppose,however, that the stop-cock lock has been closed bybringing the casingsD D 'together and catching the lock D without turning the handle of thestop-cock. In this case the bell N will ring immediately the key 0 isclosed, while the bell F will not ring at all.

It will be seen that I use the battery E for both circuits, the circuitindicated by the wires c as well as that indicated by the wires M.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A circuit closer consisting of a metal tube in electric connectionwith one pole of a battery, a spring-pressed metal button mounted in thesaid tube and in contact therewith, a metal cap or nut secured to oneend of the said tube and insulated. therefrom, the said cap or nut inelectric connection with the opposite pole of the said battery, anopening in the said cap or nut, and a metal rod secured to the aforesaidspring-pressed metal button and extending rearwardly through the openingin the cap or nut without contact, the said rod having its outer endenlarged and adapted, normally, to rest upon and be in electricalcontact with the said cap or nut, making the circuit, and to break thecircuit whenever the aforesaid spring-pressed button is pushed into thetube.

2. A circuit closer consisting of a metal tube 7.: having a flange inelectric connection with one pole of a battery, a spring-pressed metalbutton is mounted in the said tube and in contact therewith, a metal capor nut 7r? se' cured to one end of the said tube and insulatedtherefrom, the same being in electric connection with the opposite poleof said battery and having an opening through its length, and a metalrod 70 secured to the aforesaid button 7t, extending through the openingin the cap or nut and having upon its outer end an enlargment adaptednormally to close the circuit through the said cap or nut 7& and tobreak the circuit when the button 7U" is pushed into the tube, allsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a stopcock lock having a base D and lock-casingsD D hinged thereto, of the spring-pressed pins g, g, mounted in thecasings D D and adapted to touch each other when the casings D D areclosed together, electric buttons, springpressed pins or contact devicesII mounted in the bed-portion D between the casings D D insulated fromeach other and in circuit with an alarm N and an electric key 0, andcontact plates h suitably mounted in the casings D D in electricconnection with the springpressed pins g, g, the said contact plates hbearing upon and being in electric contact with the pins II when thecasings D D are closed, all substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

at. The combination with a metal stop-cock handle having an insulatingannulus c, of the stop-cock lock D, a battery, an electric circuit 6 andthe electric circuit M, the stop-cock lock D being provided with themetal spring tongues d and the contact devices (1 and the springpressedpins g, g, the contact plates h electrically connected with the pins g,g, and the contact devices H united to the electric circuit M, allsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination with a metal stop-cock handle having an insulatingannulus c, of the stop-cock lock D, a battery, an electric circuit a andthe electric circuit M, the stop-cock lock ICO D being provided with themetal spring tongues d and the contact devices (Rand the spring-pressedpins g, g, the contact plates h electrically connected with the pins g,g, and the contact devices H united to the electric circuit M, and thecircuit closer K also united to the electric circuit M, allsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

. 6. The combination with a stop-cock haviug a metal handle providedwith an insulating annulus, of astop-cock lock provided with contactdevices arranged to bear upon the said annulus, an electric circuituniting the said contact devices with the poles of a battery and an,alarm placed in the said circuit, as set forth.

CHARLES HEYMAN. Vlitnesses:

CLEMENS GREIL, NATHAN LANCASTER.

